The latest casualty of the Great Recession may soon be the nation’s elderly. Cuts in government payments for patient care and less construction of new nursing homes are already taking a toll. Add to this the aging baby boom generation and you have a worst-case scenario.
Don’t buy if the out-of-pocket cost for the coverage would be more than you can afford. Policies differ greatly so know what you are buying. Shop around.
Federal officials are extending the Dec. 7 deadline for three days for some people who have had trouble enrolling in a Medicare prescription drug or private health plan because of the crush of last-minute sign-ups. Calls to Medicare’s toll-free information line, 800-633-4227 can be made until midnight tonight. “It is critical that people with Medicare who want to make a change in their coverage act today.”
Finding a high-quality nursing home is a daunting task. Fortunately, there is information online that can help you learn about nursing home quality.
More than a quarter of Medicare’s rated prescription drug plans and, unless they take steps to improve, face expulsion from Medicare.
Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign for children now has a counterpart for the 50-plus set. The National Institute on Aging on Wednesday launched its “Go4Life” campaign, aimed at increasing physical activity among Baby Boomers and their parents.
Medicare’s open enrollment season begins – and ends – earlier than ever this year. Seniors who want to switch to a different drug or Medicare Advantage plan need to act by December 7th.
Shortage of qualified labor is looms. Workers of lack the training needed to care for patients, and poor working conditions and low pay lead to high turnover.
Extra Help: Some Medicare beneficiaries could qualify for assistance with their prescription drug costs, and be eligible this year to pay no more than $2.50 for generic drugs and $6.30 for each brand name drug,
More than 40 million Americans caring for an elderly or disabled loved one, the value of their work is $450 billion a year — a good deal for society, but . . .
For the past few years, community services for the aged and disabled have been facing big state budget cuts, layoffs of key personnel and an increasing demand for services. And the situation has done nothing but get worse.
HHS Inspector General faults drug companies for aggressively—and illegally—marketing these products to doctors for treatment of dementia and other off-label uses.
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "Contact Us" page and dropping us a note. -- Michael McCarthy, Editor
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Seattle Times Health News
Experts divided over recommendation to screen children for cholesterol
Some clinicians say universal screening is an important tool to help identify children who are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol and to pinpoint others who could benefit from treatment. Others express concerns that screening may do more harm than good.
People in state high-risk insurance plans often feel left behind
The federal health law set up new plans that are cheaper and more comprehensive than the older ones run by states but consumers need to go without insurance for six months to qualify.
Peeking in on your doctor’s notes
Although federal law guarantees patients the right to examine and get copies of their medical records, providers haven’t always made it easy to do so. But the movement to give patients direct access to their health information has picked up steam, and policymakers have encouraged it as a way to empower patients to help manage their health and their medical care.
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